I am awake, I am alive, as this morning I live with intent while asking you to consider yours …

A friend of mine, a 6th generation Chief, speaks of Intent, as did his father before him. He asks us to consider our intent before any word is written or spoken. This morning, I ask you to do same …

For the non-Indigenous followers of my page, what is your intent when you ask questions of the Indigenous peoples within Canadian borders? My guess – you wish to understand. But buried within that intent is the very root of the problem in this country – that it is always about you and your needs, even when it inflicts harm on another, even when the other says “No” (research Federal government buying a pipeline).

What if instead, your intent was to be inclusive of Indigenous peoples, truly inclusive – as respectful, kind, considerate of them as you would anyone you call friend or family? Would you then still ask questions that inflict pain? Would your resulting disbelief of the answer invoke more questions, as they do now?

I think not. Because if a relationship is the goal, you would never inflict pain, and that is where we need to get to. Fast.

This is a season of healing and grieving for the Indigenous within Canadian borders, a time of repatriation for children lost but never forgotten. But I pray it can also be a time of education for Canadians, separate and apart from those grieving.

This morning, I beg you – do not type questions. Instead, download and read the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Google “residential schools in Canada”. Play with the interactive map to see where you grew up and how far away the nearest residential school was (you might be surprised). Take a course (I designed one specifically for this purpose, written in my usual conversation English so as to support understanding).

With respectful support devoid of questions, we can move forward. But only with the right intent.
 

I love you!
HUGSSSSSSSS
Sandi

For more on my course, please click HERE